Game 50 - Lingevres, Normandy, 1944 - Reliving the Past...!

Waaay back on June 24th, 2012, we posted details of our first game with Rapid Fire. So, for Game 50, what better way to celebrate than to re-fight it and see just what we've learned - straight from the mouths of a jaded Grognard, and an enthusiastic recruit into the chaos enjoyment that is wargaming...

In the intervening years, we've celebrated new rules, cheered at the nostalgia of old rules, set the world to rights in terms of how wargaming rules should work and laughed at the pretence of artificial complexity that is 'those games that were considered so bad as to not feature on the blog'...whose societal members shall of course remain nameless.

So, here we are. Unlike the first time around, this was very much a beer & pretzels (or tea and biscuits) style affair. We've both become less jaded, and learned a lot; all of these games occurring amidst the external influences between us of career change, the joys of publication, the lesser joys of legislation, teaching a new generation of management and chasing money in somewhat nefarious industries - and of course - being p*ssed off with Rogue One when no one else seems to realise how bad it was...*sigh*  On with the game...

The terrain has changed, but the song remains the same. Two battalions of British with armoured assets try to seize the village and crossroads from elite German units.

British units on the start line, hoping to spot German armour early on. They succeed, and the first Panther is taken out early with a shot from the Firefly...(with audible cries of dismay heard at the bottom of the street)...

 

 German units consolidate, with Panzerfaust ambushes finding their mark.

 British units get out of the open ground as quickly as they can - where German mortar fire was uncannily accurate.

 German units hug the cover, making a general nuisance of themselves, splitting the British attack into flank maneuvering, whilst the British infantry get bogged down.

 German units eventually moving back as the flanks become the axis of advance - allowing infantry free reign to rotate back to the town in significant numbers. This was a mistake on the part of the British...

By turn 8, there was a strong British armoured presence on either flank, but the second German Panther had arrived to ruin everyone's day.

 German infantry by now had become well ensconced in the town.

 As British ATGs get into position, looking for that lucky flank shot...

 ...the Firefly is looking for a more advantageous shot...right up the Panther's...

 ...As successive waves of British armour drift closer to their doom.

 By the game end, the Firefly flanked and killed the Panther, but it was too late. There wasn't enough British infantry capable of moving in to take the town, and time had run out.

'Can't you bloody well see that we're pinned down here man!'

As usual Rapid Fire is just that - rapid and easy on the mind. That's no bad thing, as we had a lot of catching up to do, and could chat freely as we played.

The Good
Rapid fire is quick and decisive. DON'T get caught in the open.
The charts are quick and easy - tank combat, infantry combat, morale, spotting HE and Arty - all very easy.

The Bad
It's still squads acting like companies in a convivial bathtub format.

The Ugly
It leaves out command, suppressive fire, unit ratings - but we didn't want that today anyway...


Rapid Fire still has its place, and we will come back to it. Next up, there might be some operational WWII or a shot at the new 'Combat HQ' which is a similar level at least to RF and Command Decision, and is crying out for a playtest...

...and hopefully we won't leave it so long this time :)